Harry Shearer has left his role after 30 years voicing one of the most iconic characters in the series.
Many popular cartoon series are experiencing a delicate moment. Productions such as Big Mouth, Bob’s Burgers, The Simpsons, Central Park or Family Guy have recently been criticized for choosing white actors to voice black characters or characters from other ethnicities or races. In response to these complaints, several voice actors have abandoned their roles, forcing productions to replace them. Along the same lines, The Simpsons has changed the interpreter who voiced Dr. Hibbert.
According to TVLine, Harry Shearer has left his role as Dr. Hibbert in The Simpsons after 30 years giving voice to the character. He will be replaced by Kevin Michael Richardson. Shearer, who previously argued that white actors should be allowed to voice characters of color, will continue to work on the production bringing other characters to life. His last episode as Doctor Hibbert was 32×12, titled Diary Queen. Shearer is not the first actor to be replaced on The Simpsons.
“I have a very simple conception of acting. The actor’s job is to play someone he is not,” he told Times Radio. “People of all backgrounds need to be represented in writing and production to help decide which stories to tell and with what knowledge and performance,” he added.
Hank Azaria previously abandoned his role as Apu after a wave of criticism that the character perpetuated racist stereotypes. At the moment it is not known who will replace Azaria. In addition, those responsible for the series also changed the actor who voiced Carl, who is currently played by Alex Desert.
Kevin Michael Richardson has extensive experience as a voice actor and has participated in titles such as Teen Titans Go !, Family Guy, Father Made in USA, The Adventures of Puss in Boots or The Ninja Turtles, among others. Fox is currently airing season 32 of The Simpsons. The series is available in Spain until its 31st season on Disney +.
